Τύπος στρατηγικής (εργαλείο, εκδήλωση, εκπαιδευτικό μάθημα κ.λπ.)

Participatory Arts

Πότε ξεκίνησε / τελείωσε;

It was implemented in 2017. 5 workshops took place during the course of 5 weeks. Due to lack of participants and space, the workshop ended without presenting a Forum Theater performance.

The project is designed to facilitate 8 workshops aiming to create and present a Forum Theater performance. It is an ongoing project. A new round with immigrant participants living in Gran, Hadeland, will start in September/October. The research is part of my master thesis to be delivered in May 2022.

Όνομα του οργανισμού

Oslo Metropolitan University

Πόλη και χώρα

Oslo, Norway

1. Περιγράψτε σύντομα το έργο σας

"Forum Theater Workshop" is an arts-based research project, which explores the use and value of Applied Theater practices as a different approach towards adult second language learning. The workshop is an activity offered to adult immigrants attending Norwegian language and culture learning courses in Oslo. Applying drama practices in non-traditional educational settings, the is aim to create a free and safe environment tailored to empower the participants to gain a sense of ownership of the Norwegian language, reconstruct and integrate into the new society.This is an ongoing research part of my master thesis at the Oslo Metropolitan University. ​First initiated in 2017 in collaboration ​with ​the ​Nona ​exchange ​student, ​Jennifer ​Skriver, ​who ​has ​a background ​in ​working ​with ​adult ​immigrant ​education ​in ​Denmark. The first research was conducted on a group of newly arrived adult immigrants attending Norwegian language courses at the St.Olav's parish. 

2. Ποιος ήταν ο στόχος του έργου;

Forum Theater Workshop's core structure is tailored to ​achieve ​three ​main ​goals: ​a) ​building ​a ​community, ​b) ​performing ourselves, ​c) ​exploring & experience ​language. By using ​practices from Applied Theater (Theater of the Oppressed, Devising & Physical Theater), I ​wanted to ​create ​an ​aesthetic ​space ​where ​the ​participants ​can ​engage ​physically ​and ​mentally, ​enabling ​them ​to ​work ​with ​topics ​and ​language ​that ​would ​not ​normally appear ​in ​Norwegian ​language ​courses/books.
-Trust and community building exercises to create a feeling of belonging and safety.
-Using the body as a form of communication in order to realise language anxiety and achieve freedom of speech.
-Walking exercises as a social and political practice to reshape and explore reality.
-Storytelling, role-playing and reenacting to empower participants to see the world from a different perspective and at the same time develop language skills that can be used in reality.

3. Ποιος συμμετείχε στη διαδικασία σχεδιασμού;

Claudia Lucacel, Jennifer Skriver

Claudia Lucacel is an artist experimenting within visual and performing arts as a performer, photographer, filmmaker and producer, based in Norway. She is originally from Iasi, Romania, and grew up in Santorini, Greece. In 2012, Claudia graduated from the University of Peloponnese - Faculty of Fine Arts, Theatre Studies Department with a BA in Acting and Directing and since then she has been working in various theatre productions in Greece, USA, UK and Norway.
She studied Documentary Film Art at Oslo Metropolitan University, where she is also currently doing her MA in Drama & Theater. With her master thesis, she researches the impact of using Applied Theater practices as a different approach towards immigrant second language and cultural learning in Norway. Alongside her studies, she also works as a producer for the theater company Grusomhetens Teater (Theater of Cruelty), the music organisation VoxLAB and manages her small farm in the countryside of Hadeland, Norway.

4. Εάν μπορούσες να αλλάξεις κάτι, τι θα άλλαζες; 

One ​of ​the ​biggest ​challenges ​I ​faced ​as an immigrant facilitator was ​to instruct and empower a group of people in a language that I am not fluent. It was a personal challenge to overcome my prejudice and fear of making language mistakes. A fear rooted deeply to my experience being an immigrant and starting over in a new country for the third time. It was something that I needed to overcome.

The ​feedback ​from ​the ​participants ​was ​that ​listening ​to ​the non-Norwegian ​facilitator ​speaking ​Norwegian, ​trying ​to ​encourage ​using ​the ​language, ​was inspiring. ​They ​started ​speaking ​Norwegian ​without the fear of doing mistakes. ​Using ​their ​bodies ​in ​a ​creatively as a ​form ​of ​communication ​and they ​realised ​that ​language ​and ​speech ​came ​naturally. ​It is ok to be grammatically incorrect if you need to communicate.

At the same time when personal ​topics ​were ​addressed, ​participants ​turned ​to ​the ​language ​they ​feel ​more comfortable. ​Participants ​expressed ​their ​concern ​on ​the ​fact ​that ​once ​they ​become friends, ​they ​tend ​to ​speak ​English. A problem that I wish to investigate further on the next group.

Another problem factor was the lack of participants. The recruiting process was difficult because the target group, working immigrants, have a tight schedule and few are interested in alternative methods and arts. Finding the right time and a convenient location is key.

5. Πώς επηρέασε το έργο στην κοινωνία των πολιτών;

Statistics have shown that Norway is becoming more diverse than ever due to an increasing immigrant population. The Norwegian government and the Department of Education claim that good Norwegian language skills and basic knowledge of the Norwegian culture and society are often a prerequisite for obtaining employment and education.

Being an immigrant all my life, I have faced the need to learn a new language and integrate into a new society from a very early age. Moving to Norway and facing this challenge as an adult I realized that attending Norwegian language courses, is not enough to help me overcome language anxiety, integrate and reconstruct my identity in this new society. There is a need for finding new potential approaches towards the Norwegian language educational system and the integrational program in Norway. A need for an Immigrant Education more adequately suited to address the diversity of needs of immigrants and the dynamics of their unique learning challenges.

A useful tool in my life has been theater and it's beneficial impact on empowering, creating community and healing. Using theatre a tool for social change this workshop explores how theatre can enhance intercultural language learning and integration. The application of drama in additional language learning is a growing field of practice internationally which presents a range of positive results from diverse researches proving that the use of drama on second language learning has a positive impact. 

6.Πως η καινοτομία, η έμπνευση και η συμπερίληψη εφαρμόζονται στην πρακτική σας;

Participants ​are engaged in games and exercises inspired by Theater of the Oppressed, Devising Theater and Physical Theater, where they perform ​themselves ​in ​imaginary ​situations ​or ​enact personal ​experiences ​that ​can ​empower ​the ​immigrants ​to ​see ​the ​world ​from ​a ​different perspective.

Immigrants are guided into creating a Forum Theater performance, written by themselves, which will address issues of acculturation, integration, xenophobia, nationalism and language discrimination. The performance will be presented to the public, addressing a problem that concerns our society and opening a conversation to find a possible solution as a community through the power of theatre. Working together towards transformation we can create global mental change and develop the ‘serendipitous learning’ that can lead us to prejudice reduction and cultural transformation.

7.Πως χρηματοδοτήθηκε η βέλτιστη πρακτική σας; 

The practice was organized in collaboration with St. Olav's parish.
The parish offered free working space and access to their pupils attending Norwegian courses. The research was part of the course "Project in Practice" at the first year of Master in Theater Studies at the Metropolitan University of Oslo.

8. Πως διαχύθηκε/προωθήθηκε η βέλτιστη πρακτική σας;

After the completion of the project, i received a stipend to write an article about the research. The article was published in the university forum "Estetiske Forum 2017".

We advertise the workshop through social media, personal invitation to friends, and most importantly presented the idea for each classroom at the parish in person.